868 replies to this topic

[Cypherf0x]

Another bit of experimentation.  This drawer is made to hold 4 20mm x 150mm test tubes with queens.  I haven't made the case yet but I'm going back and forth between a 4 high design or a single unit that's stackable.

 

[Crystals]

I would say stackable.  Easier to quickly monitor the queens/colonies without disturbing them.

[dspdrew]

Even though this didn't work out well for what it was, it still might give people some ideas.

 

 

[dspdrew]

My new leaf-cutter formicarium.

 

 

 

[Cypherf0x]

First drawer design loved to pull up corners when printing so I redesigned so it's easier to print and has more room to get fingers in to remove tubes with minimal disturbance.

[dspdrew]

That looks nice. What are these drawers going to go in?

[Cypherf0x]

That looks nice. What are these drawers going to go in?

 

Printing something would take a lot of plastic and time so I'm looking at using a dark smoke acrylic to build something for them.  I'm going to make a some corner pieces so you can stack them too if someone wants to stay purely printed.

[Gregory2455]

I am looking into making test tube replacements for:

• Myrmecocystus
• Liometopum
• Camponotus
• Dorymyrmex insanus

As those are the Californian ants that generally do not do well in test tubes.

 

I am also looking into making a pretty complex founding chamber for Acromyrmex.

 

After all this, I am making an insulated antbox that will have shelves for test tubes, and spaces on the top shelf for the Acromyrmex founding chambers I am making. 

The antbox will be designed to keep heat in during winter, and evenly distribute heat throughout all the shelves. I will not be releasing more information than this until I finish- nobody copies me!

[Gregory2455]

I liked @Cypherfox's idea so much, I made my own stackable version specifically to accommodate my antbox idea.

https://tinkercad.co..._=1419019215254

Edited by Gregory2455, December 19 2014 - 12:00 PM.

[Cypherf0x]

I liked @Cypherfox's idea so much, I made my own stackable version specifically to accommodate my antbox idea.

https://tinkercad.co..._=1419019215254

 

Looks great, but if you're intending to print this those thin areas coming in at a 90 degree angle on top won't print without support and support inside that box would be a nightmare to clean out. A chamfer of that corner will let it build out gradually resting on layers below it, just try and keep the angle from the side wall less than 45 degrees.  The less angle, the easier to print.

 

That's why I specifically didn't put anything coming in on the top of my design.  I designed it to need no support and there will be little corner pieces that can be added and even glued on later to allow stacking.

[benjiwuf]

What you could do is cut that top bit off and make it a touch wider so it fits around the outside of the actual tube box. Then you could print it upside down and it would solve the problem easily. That's just my take on it though.

[Gregory2455]

What you could do is cut that top bit off and make it a touch wider so it fits around the outside of the actual tube box. Then you could print it upside down and it would solve the problem easily. That's just my take on it though.

I have no idea what you were saying there.

[benjiwuf]

i'll use your tinkercad file and show you when I get home if you let me have it

[benjiwuf]

https://tinkercad.co...ngs/c5jAxs505Yk   something like this, where you flip the top portion upside down to print easier Gregory.

[Gregory2455]

Oh, so take the top off and print it separately? Interesting idea, but how does it get back on then?

[benjiwuf]

friction fit and slide it on.

[Cypherf0x]

friction fit and slide it on.

Works pretty well though you'll have to play with part tolerances to find what works for your particular printer, though tolerances can change depending on a lot of factors in 3d printing from your filament diameter setting compared to the actual diameter average, extrusion multiplier, extrusion temperature, printing speed, extrusion width, layer height and a few other factors dealing with the resolution of your printers X,Y,and Z axis.  A safe tolerance is to shave about .15mm of size off the edges of the parts for a .3mm fit tolerance on the parts.  You'll have to adjust from that depending on your printing results.

 

Some software hides all that away but the more you can adjust and understand lets you fine tune your printer for really great prints.  I use Simplify3d for slicing, which is paid, but lets me fine tune what gets sent to the printer to a very fine degree.

 

Oh, and required settings can change based on humidity, ambient temperatures, and with each roll of filament and not just with different types of plastic.

[benjiwuf]

yea, i'm coming to understand all this rather quickly, some of my prints come out perfect while others are...not so perfect (pretty much crap lol). i think only practice atm will be sufficient, but i will definitely be looking into all the programs you guys suggest when i have a slight clue to what i'm actually doing lol.

 

edit: atm i'm only print things out from thingiverse so i haven't even printed anything for myself yet really. just nice little things to give to the family and one sellable mod for a paintball gun lol. around 75 hours on this printer already

Edited by benjiwuf, December 21 2014 - 6:02 PM.

[InsideAntz]

Nice, I had a chance to check out most on this thread.

 

How kool would it be to have Crystal as a neighbor 

 

It took my neighbor 2yrs to finally ask me "what are you looking for when your always examining and crawling on the ground so intently", I showed him my formicariums and guess what, turns out he collects bees and has a huge box in his back yard with a queen and a few hundred bee workers (he also brews his own beer)  

[LAnt]

As in honeybees?